Still here...

Alice and I are up late doing laundry so I thought I'd update you all. Chuck's ear surgery went well. They took a skin graft from behind his right ear to reconstruct his tempanic membrane (fix his eardrum). He has staples behind his right ear and has to wear a cover over his ear (it looks like half of a wrestler's headgear). He, of course, cracks jokes about what it looks like, but he is a good patient and wears it like he is supposed to. The surgeons said the surgery went well and everything should be fine. Next week Chuck will have a hearing test done and we'll go from there. Chuck keeps saying they are going to do the same surgery on his left ear, but Alice and I aren't real sure yet. I know he has some hearing loss in his left ear also, but his right was definitely worse. Anyway... all is okay for now. Chuck wanted me to tell you all that he would like to post himself but has been kinda out of it the last two days. He was soooooo out of it yesterday after surgery... he was definitely in his own world and made absolutely no sense most of the day. When he finally snapped out of his drug-induced state last night, he was chatting up a storm w/ Alice and me and ran around in fast forward. He was like an Energizer Bunny who was super-charged! It was quite funny, but good to see him up and about.

I want to thank you all for your concern about my back. It's nothing new for me... I injured my back in 1996 in ROTC, managed to recover and get commissioned, then re-injured it again at my Officer Basic Course (OBC). I was medically discharged in 1999. I just have spells of intense pain that lasts for a few days and then goes away. I always feel some degree of pain, but usually it is tolerable. It is getting better, slowly but surely. I appreciate your concerns and well-wishes.

On Sunday we had the honor of meeting Donald Rumsfeld and his wife. He is another amazing man and his wife is so cute and charming. If you are not a fan of Rumsfeld, that's fine... please don't turn this blog into a debate. Chuck, Alice and I had a great conversation w/ Secretary Rumsfeld and his wife. They both have a great sense of humor and it was really fun talking to them. We took some pictures. Once we get them developed I am sure you will see them on the blog. We MIGHT be taking a trip to the Pentagon on Friday. Apparently every few months they have a day for wounded soldiers and their families go to the Pentagon for a ceremony that is for THEM (the wounded). Last we knew it was this Friday, but we haven't seen the lady who is planning it in a while so we aren't real sure.

I'm not sure what else to tell you about at this point. I want to thank everyone for keeping our PO box full. The nice woman at the post office keeps a bin for us b/c it is usually full of letters and packages. And we get such a kick out of the funny cards we have received! And many of you have enclosed some great jokes and comic strips that just keep us laughing! So thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Gotta go switch the clothes... down the hall. Y'all have a great day and we'll be back on the blog soon.

Take care and God Bless!

Carren, Chuck and Alice